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Quick Facts
Biography
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. (born December 9, 1949) is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 1989 and 1994.
Kite was born in McKinney, Texas. He began playing golf at age six, and won his first tournament at age 11. Kite attended the University of Texas on a golf scholarship and was coached by Harvey Penick. He turned professional in 1972 and has been a consistent money winner ever since. Known for his innovation, he was the first to add a third wedge to his bag, one of the first players to use a sports psychologist, and one of the first to emphasize physical fitness for game improvement. He also underwent laser eye surgery, due to his partial blindness, in a bid to improve his game late in his career.
He has 19 PGA Tour victories, including the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He competed on seven Ryder Cup squads (1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993) and served as the 1997 captain. Kite holds a unique record of making the cut for the first four U.S. Opens held at Pebble Beach: 1972, 1982, 1992, and 2000. Kite also shares the distinction (with Gene Littler) of playing in the most Masters Tournaments without a win.
In 1989 he was named PGA of America Player of the Year; in 1981 the Golf Writers Association Player of the Year, the Vardon Trophy winner in 1981 and 1982, Bob Jones Award recipient in 1979 and Golf Digest Rookie of the Year in 1973.
Kite was the first in Tour history to reach $6 million, $7 million, $8 million, and $9 million in career earnings. He was the Tour's leading money-winner in 1981 and 1989. In his prime Kite had few peers with the short irons. In 1993, Johnny Miller referred to Kite as "the greatest short-iron player the game has seen."
His 16th and 17th PGA Tour victories were on Mother's Day and Father's Day in 1992.
In 2005 he led the PGA Tour's Booz Allen Classic by one shot going into the final round at the age of 55. If he had been able to stay ahead he would have beaten Sam Snead's record as the oldest winner on the PGA Tour by three years, but he fell away to finish tied 13th, seven shots behind Sergio García.
Kite currently plays the over 50s Champions Tour, where he has ten victories including one senior major, The Countrywide Tradition. At the 2012 U.S. Senior Open, Kite shot a front nine 28 (seven under par) in the first round. This was the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded in any USGA championship. He finished the tournament tied for 12th.
Kite has added golf course designer to his résumé and has successfully completed several golf courses in collaboration with Bob Cupp, Randy Russell and Roy Bechtol. Completed golf courses include Liberty National in Jersey City, New Jersey; Comanche Trace in Kerrville, Texas; Somersett Country Club in Reno, Nevada; Gaillardia Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and the Legends on LBJ in Kingsland, Texas.
Kite was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.
Amateur wins (1)
- 1972 NCAA Championship (individual; tie with Ben Crenshaw)
Professional wins (38)
PGA Tour wins (19)
Legend |
Major championships (1) |
Players Championships (1) |
Tour Championship (1) |
Other PGA Tour (16) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jun 6, 1976 | IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic | −7 (71-70-70-66=277) | Playoff | ![]() |
2 | Sep 4, 1978 | B.C. Open | −17 (66-65-68-68=267) | 5 strokes | ![]() |
3 | Mar 8, 1981 | American Motors Inverrary Classic | −14 (69-68-68-69=274) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
4 | Mar 7, 1982 | Bay Hill Classic | −6 (69-70-70-69=278) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() |
5 | Feb 6, 1983 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | −12 (69-72-62-73=276) | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
6 | Mar 11, 1984 | Doral-Eastern Open | −16 (68-69-70-65=272) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
7 | Jun 24, 1984 | Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic | −19 (69-67-66-67=269) | 5 strokes | ![]() |
8 | May 5, 1985 | MONY Tournament of Champions | −13 (64-72-70-69=275) | 6 strokes | ![]() |
9 | Aug 3, 1986 | Western Open | −2 (70-75-73-68=286) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
10 | Jun 7, 1987 | Kemper Open | −14 (64-69-68-69=270) | 7 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
11 | Mar 12, 1989 | Nestle Invitational | −6 (68-72-67-71=278) | Playoff | ![]() |
12 | Mar 19, 1989 | The Players Championship | −9 (69-70-69-71=279) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
13 | Oct 29, 1989 | Nabisco Championship | −8 (69-65-74-68=276) | Playoff | ![]() |
14 | Aug 5, 1990 | Federal Express St. Jude Classic | −15 (72-68-62-67=269) | Playoff | ![]() |
15 | Jan 6, 1991 | Infiniti Tournament of Champions | −16 (68-67-68-69=272) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
16 | May 10, 1992 | BellSouth Classic | −16 (70-65-72-65=272) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
17 | Jun 21, 1992 | U.S. Open | −3 (71-72-70-72=285) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
18 | Feb 14, 1993 | Bob Hope Chrysler Classic | −35 (67-67-64-65-62=325) | 6 strokes | ![]() |
19 | Feb 28, 1993 | Nissan Los Angeles Open | −7 (73-66-67=206) | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
PGA Tour playoff record (6–4)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1976 | IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic | ![]() | Won with par on fifth extra hole |
2 | 1982 | Bob Hope Desert Classic | ![]() | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
3 | 1982 | Bay Hill Classic | ![]() ![]() | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
4 | 1986 | Western Open | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
5 | 1988 | Kemper Open | ![]() | Lost to par on second extra hole |
6 | 1988 | Nabisco Championship | ![]() | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
7 | 1989 | Nestle Invitational | ![]() | Won with par on second extra hole |
8 | 1989 | Nabisco Championship | ![]() | Won with par on second extra hole |
9 | 1990 | Federal Express St. Jude Classic | ![]() | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
10 | 1992 | Bob Hope Chrysler Classic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Cook won with eagle on fourth extra hole Fehr eliminated with birdie on second hole Kite and O'Meara eliminated with birdie on first hole |
European Tour wins (2)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sep 7, 1980 | European Open | −8 (71-67-71-75=284) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
2 | Oct 13, 1996 | Oki Pro-Am | −15 (71-68-64-70=273) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
Other wins (7)
- 1974 Air New Zealand Open
- 1981 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Beth Daniel)
- 1987 Kirin Cup (individual)
- 1989 Alfred Dunhill Cup (team)
- 1992 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Billy Andrade), Franklin Funds Shark Shootout (with Davis Love III)
- 1996 Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout (with Jay Haas)
Champions Tour wins (10)
Legend |
Champions Tour major championships (1) |
Other Champions Tour (9) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Apr 2, 2000 | The Countrywide Tradition | −8 (68-70-71-71=280) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() |
2 | Jun 11, 2000 | SBC Senior Open | −9 (71-68-68=207) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
3 | Sep 30, 2001 | Gold Rush Classic | −22 (65-62-67=194) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
4 | Jan 20, 2002 | MasterCard Championship | −17 (63-69-67=199) | 6 strokes | ![]() |
5 | Mar 3, 2002 | SBC Senior Classic | −4 (74-69-69=212) | Playoff | ![]() |
6 | Oct 13, 2002 | Napa Valley Championship | −12 (66-66-72=204) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
7 | Aug 8, 2004 | 3M Championship | −13 (65-69-69=203) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
8 | Mar 12, 2006 | AT&T Classic | −12 (70-64-70=204) | 5 strokes | ![]() |
9 | Aug 20, 2006 | Boeing Greater Seattle Classic | −15 (71-64-66=201) | Playoff | ![]() |
10 | Aug 24, 2008 | Boeing Classic | −14 (69-67-66=202) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
Champions Tour playoff record (3–2)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2000 | The Countrywide Tradition | ![]() ![]() | Won with birdie on sixth extra hole Nelson eliminated with par on second hole |
2 | 2002 | SBC Senior Classic | ![]() | Won with par on second extra hole |
3 | 2006 | Boeing Greater Seattle Classic | ![]() | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
4 | 2007 | Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf | ![]() | Lost to par on first extra hole |
5 | 2008 | ACE Group Classic | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Hoch won with birdie on first extra hole |
Major championships
Wins (1)
Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | U.S. Open | 1 shot deficit | −3 (71-72-70-72=285) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
Results timeline
Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | DNP | T42 | T27 | DNP | DNP | T10 | T5 | T3 | T18 | 5 |
U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | T19 | DNP | T8 | CUT | CUT | T27 | T20 | CUT |
The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 | DNP | T2 | T30 |
PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T39 | T33 | T13 | T13 | CUT | T35 |
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T6 | T5 | T5 | T2 | T6 | CUT | T2 | T24 | 44 | T18 |
U.S. Open | CUT | T20 | 29 | T20 | CUT | 13 | T35 | T46 | T36 | T9 |
The Open Championship | T27 | DNP | CUT | T29 | T22 | T8 | CUT | T72 | T20 | T19 |
PGA Championship | T20 | T4 | T9 | T67 | T34 | T12 | T26 | T10 | T4 | T34 |
Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T14 | 56 | DNP | CUT | 4 | CUT | CUT | 2 | 38 | DNP |
U.S. Open | T56 | T37 | 1 | CUT | T33 | T67 | T82 | T68 | T43 | T60 |
The Open Championship | CUT | T44 | T19 | T14 | T8 | T58 | T27 | T10 | T38 | DNP |
PGA Championship | T40 | T52 | T21 | T56 | T9 | T54 | CUT | 5 | CUT | CUT |
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | T32 | T5 | CUT | CUT | T57 |
The Open Championship | T70 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | T19 | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 26 | 21 |
U.S. Open | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 24 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 19 |
PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 23 |
Totals | 1 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 26 | 47 | 109 | 87 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 15 (1986 PGA – 1990 U.S. Open)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (four times)
Senior major championships
Wins (1)
Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runners-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | The Countrywide Tradition | −8 (66-71-71-72=280) | Playoff1 | ![]() ![]() |
1Kite won with birdie on sixth extra hole; Nelson eliminated with par on second hole
Results timeline
Results not in chronological order before 2016.
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Tradition | 1 | T24 | T7 | T2 | T4 | T36 | T4 | T4 | T18 | T11 |
Senior PGA Championship | T2 | T23 | T15 | T10 | T121 | T10 | T40 | T7 | T13 | T14 |
Senior Players Championship | 6 | T10 | T10 | T2 | T7 | T39 | T9 | T25 | T21 | T47 |
Senior British Open Championship | – | – | – | 4 | T2 | CUT | T10 | T10 | T16 | T8 |
U.S. Senior Open | 3 | 15 | 3 | T12 | T3 | T37 | T55 | T22 | T12 | CUT |
Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Tradition | T54 | 15 | T47 | T60 | T59 | 72 | T69 |
Senior PGA Championship | T29 | CUT | CUT | T28 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
Senior Players Championship | T16 | T17 | 52 | T27 | 79 | DNP | WD |
Senior British Open Championship | DNP | T49 | T24 | T14 | DNP | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Senior Open | T8 | T29 | T12 | T44 | T14 | DNP | DNP |
Note: The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1970 (winners)
- Walker Cup: 1971
Professional
- Ryder Cup: 1979 (winners), 1981 (winners), 1983 (winners), 1985, 1987, 1989 (tie), 1993 (winners), 1997 (captain)
- World Cup: 1984, 1985
- Four Tours World Championship: 1987 (winners), 1989 (winners)
- Dunhill Cup: 1989 (winners), 1990, 1992, 1994
- UBS Cup: 2002 (winners), 2004 (winners)